Coupling for offset shafts



July 28 1953 J. D, KREIS coUPLING FORv OFFSET sHAFTs Original Filed Oct.9, 1946 A T TOHNE V5 July 28, 1953 J. D. KREIS COUPLING FOR OFFSEISHAFTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 9, 1946 INVENTOR. .TOSFPH P.KREIS A TTUBNE YS July 2s, 1953 J. D. mm-- f 2,646,686

' coUPLING FOR OFFSET SHAFTS v origiiial Filed oct. 9, 1946 4'S'I'mtssnet 3 i Y A ATTORNEYS July 28, 1953 .1.19. KREIS couPLING FOROFFSET sHAF'rs original Filed oct. 9, 194s 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @www IN VENTGR. JOSEPH D. /fEE/S A TTOZ/VEYS Patented Jul-y 28, 1.953

COUPLING FOR OFFSET SHAFTS Joseph D. Kreis, Cleveland, Ohio Originalapplication October 9, 1946, Serial No. 702,154. Divided and thisapplication January 27, 1951, Serial No. 208,212

9 Claims.

This invention relates to power transmissions and, more particularly, toapparatus for coupling offset shafts for concurrent rotation. In theembodiment described herein, the invention is applied to a device forconverting continuous rotary motion into oscillatory rotary motion, thisapplication constituting a division of my application, Serial No.702,154, filed October 9, 1946, now U. S. Patent No. 2,553,859, issuedMay 22, 1951, in which that device is described.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for coupling offsetshafts at the ends thereof. y

An object of the invention is the coupling of non-coaxial shafts forconcurrent rotation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a couplingsuitable for rotating offset axes and which may be adjusted to vary theamount of spacing between the shafts during rotation.

A stillrfurther object of the invention is the provision of a powertransmission device adaptable for oset shafts and adjustable While inrotation.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing andthe manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear inthe following description, which, considered in 'connection with theaccompanying drawings, sets forththe preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating theapplication of the invention to a washing machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a fragmentary portion taken on a planeindicated on a line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism showing theeccentric planet gear;

Fig. 4 is a view of the concentric planet gear as seen from below;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the planet gears taken on a planeindicated by the lines 5-5 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the planet gears taken on a planeindicated by the line 6 6 in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention is illustrated as incorporated in aconventional washing machine having a tub II mounted on a frame I2 andincluding a drive pulley I3 associated with a motor (not shown) and apower take-off pulley I4 for the operation of a wringer (not shown). Thegearing which forms the subject of this inv l l.

.lll in the frame member I2.

2 vention is principally enclosed in a housing I5 in the form of ahollow pulley. The agitator shaft 42 extends upward from the housingthrough a gland in the bottom of the tub. The housing I5 comprises twoflanged sheet metal stampings IG and Il (Figs. 1 and 6) which areannular in form and struck with the marginal portions thereof directedinwardly to form the sides I8 of a V-belt pulley when the two stampingsare assembled in opposed, relation to each other. The two stampings I6and I'l are retained in clamped relation by conical-headed screws I9seated in openings 2| in the stampings and threaded into spacing sleeves22. A gasket 'l 23, preferably composed of synthetic rubber, is

clamped between the opposed edges of the flanges I8, providing a sealagainst leakage of oil from the housing. The lower hub 26 of the housingI5 is formed by a frusto-conical malleable casting having a peripheralgroove 27 therein for the reception of the inner circumference of thestamping. The walls of the casting 26, defining the groove 21, arerolled or pressed into intimate oil-tight engagement with the stampingII to effect the support thereof. The upper hub 28 is sealed into theupper stamping I6 in the same manner. The hub 28 is provided with acounterbored central opening 29 into which is pressed a flanged bushing30 which forms a radial and thrust bearing surface for rotationalsupport of lthe housing I5. The bushing 3|) is journalled on a flangedsleeve 3| threaded onto a depending cylindrical portion 32 of a spider33. The spider is formed with a cylindrical flange 3ft circumjacent thehub 28 which defines a pocket between the flange and hub for theretention of packing 36. The spider 33 is further formed with aplurality of equally spaced ears 31 having cups 3B in the extremitiesthereof for the reception of vibration-dampening rubber bushings 39which are compressively supported in the cups 38 and in similar cups 40in a bearing member lil. The bearing 4I constitutes the support for theagitator shaft 42. Cap screws 43 retain the bearing member 4I and thespider 33 on the frame member I2, the cap screws being passed throughopenings i4 in the cups 40 and being received in threaded openings 46 inthe cups 38. The bushings 39 are molded with peripheral grooves thereinfor the retention of the marginal edges of openings The agitator shaftd2 is sealed against leakage by packing d8 retained by a sleeve 49threaded into a cup 5I) formed in the central portion of the bearingmember 4 I The bottom 5l of the tub is retained 3 between a flange Elaof the casting and a nut 52 threaded onto the sleeve 49. The agitatorshaft passes through an opening 53 in the bottom of the cup 5E, throughthe casting 33 and into the housing l5.

The agitator shaft is driven by a sun pinion 56 (Fig. 6) formed integralwith a sleeve 51, splined to the lower end of the shaft (Fig. l) andretained by a spring collar 58. The lower end of the shaft 42 isjournalled in a anged bushing 59, pressed into a bore in a centralcylindrical portion tl of the hub casting 26. A thrust washer '32, keyedto the sun pinion, by a tab which is bent for engagement between teethin the face of the pinion, is interposed between the pinion and thethrust bearing face of the bushing 59.

Oil may be drained from the housing through a passage 64 in the hub 26by removing a plug 56 at the bottom of the hub. A plug 61, threaded intothe upper stamping I6 of the housing, is provided to facilitatereplenishment of the oil. The mechanism preferably runs in a bath ofoil.

The oscillating gear contained in the housing l5 is based upon theprinciples disclosed in my copendng application, Serial No. 667,965,filed May '7, 1946, now Patent No. 2,553,858 for Oscillating Gear. Anon-rotating sun pinion in the upper part of the housing is disposed incoaxial relation with the sun pinion 5S on the agitator shaft. Aconcentric planet gear7 rotatably mounted in the housing, is rolledaround the Xed sun gear, and drives an eccentric planet gear, whichmeshes with the pinion 55, through a coupling device which enforcesequal rotation of the two planet gears about their axes, andaccommodates lateral displacement of the axes.

The eccentric planet gear 68 (Figs. 3, 5, and 6), which meshes with thepinion 56 on the agitator shaft, is supported by a hub S9, which isslidable radially of the gear, the hub being rotatably supported on anarm 1l, pivoted in the housing. The arm 'il is formed with a boss 'l2 atone end thereof, which is bored for pivotal movement around one of thesleeves 22 in the housing. rEhe opposite end of the arm is formed with acylindrical boss i3 which provides a radial support for the hub S9within which it is mounted. The hub has a lower flange l@ thereon whichis borne by the surface of the arm circunijacent the boss 72, and i hasan upper flange is thereon which supports the gear 68.

The central portion 58a. of the web of gear G8 is elevated, and isformed with a slot ll therein, directed radially of the gear. of the hub39 is formed with a diametral wall 'i3 having a rack is machined in theupper surface thereof, the rack being disposed in a plane slightly abovethe flange 15, and being siidably received in the slot l?. Engagement ofthe rack within the slot constrains the hub from rotation relative tothe gear. The rack teeth form a part of the mechanism for shifting thehub radially of the gear to vary the eccentricity of the gear and theconsequent amplitude of the oscillatory motion. The fla-nge l5 is cutaway at one end of the rack bar i3 to permit maximum movement of the hubto the right as will be seen in Fig. 6.

The gear 68 is maintained in mesh with the pinion 56 by an arm Si havinga collar 32 at its inner end pivoted on a sleeve 83 on the agitatorshaft 42, and formed with a bore 84 in its outer end which provides abearing for the machined concentric surfaceV 86 at the periphery of theoffset central portion of the gear.

The upper portion Under the combined action of the arms 'I l and t Iythe planet gear 68 is constrained since its center moves in an arc aboutthe shaft 42, whereas 'its eccentric hub swings in an arc about a sleeve22 of the housing, that is, substantially radially of the housing.

The concentric planet gear 87 (Figs. 4, 5, and 6) embodies a bored andfaced hub 8S journalled on a flanged bearing sleeve 89 fixed in thehousing. The sleeve Se is formed with a conical bore Sil constitutingthe seat for a conical flange 9i struck from the marginal edge of anopening in the upper face i6 of the housing. The parts are retained inassembled relation by a plug 92 engaged with the iiange 3l and threadedinto the sleeve. The planet gear 81 meshes with a fixed pinion 93 (Figs.l and 6) which is retained in the portion 32 of the spider 33,preferably by being bonded therei-n during the die-casting of the member33.

A stroke-adjusting pinion 94, mounted on the shaft 42, and rotatableindependently of the shaft, is formed integral with the sleeve 83 andwith a sleeve 96, which extends upwardly into the spider 33 through thefixed pinion S3.

The adjusting pinion Sli remains stationary ex cept when the amplitudeof the oscillation is adjusted. The pinion 34 has the same number ofteeth as the pinion 93.

A ring gear Si, having the same diameter and number of teeth as theplanet gear 87, is mounted on the lower face of the gear 3i in mesh withthe adjusting pinion 94.

The bore of the ring gear is rotatably received on a turned outer face98 of the web of the planet gear, and is retained thereon by buttons 99threaded into the planet gear, the heads of which overlie the inner edgeof the ring gear.

The means for coupling the two planet gears for concurrent rotation mustaccommodate lateral displacement ci the two gears resulting from theeccentricity of the planet gears. The coupllng comprises two parallelracks i9! and |62 formed on the upper face of the gear 63, and twoparallel racks 553 and Hill on the lower face of the gear 8l within thering gear 97. The racks lill and i632 are parallel to, and equallyspaced from, the sliding rack 'is on the hub 69. When the gearing isassembled., the racks IDI and H33 and the racks E82 and ist are paralleland disposed in face-to-face relation. The intermediate coupling membercomprises a floating shaft ld having wide-faced pinions ll and E98splined on each end of' the shaft. The pinion I'l meshes with the rackslili and E33, and the pinion l meshes with the racks to2 and iM. RollersIDS, mounted for rotation on the shaft 05 and engaged with the faces ofthe planet gears are provided to maintain the pinions in proper linealrelation and prevent the teeth from bottoming in the racks.

Relative motion between the two planet gears may be considered withrespect to a component parallel to the racks and a component inquadrature to the racks.V The parallel component is accommodated byrotation of the pinions and shaft, the quadrature component by slidingmovement of the pinions and shaft along the shaft axis. In thisconnection, the rollers led, by engagement with the sides of the racks,prevent the intermediate member from sliding out of engagement with theracks. No relative rotation of the planet gears is possible, since thepinions |61 and Hi8 are mounted for simultaneous rotation with the shaft106.

The means for varying the eccentricity of the gear 69 includes, as hasbeen stated, the rack 19 on the hub 16. The rack is shifted by a pinionI| rotatably mounted on the shaft IIJI between the rollers |99. Thispinion also meshes with a rack H2 cut in a bar I I3 slidably mounted ina diametral' path n the lower face of the gear 81. The ends of the bar II3 are formed for abutment against the spiral camv surfaces H4 and H5formed in the inner edge of the ring gear 91. Thus, by rotating the ringgear with respect to the planet gear, the rack H2 is shifted radially ofthe gear, rotating the pinion III and shifting the rack 19 and hub 69radially of the lower planet gear.

Normally, the gears 81 and 91do not rotate relative to each otheigandthe amplitude of oscillation of the shaft 42 remains constant. To adjustthe amplitude, the pinion 94 is turned, which incidentally may beaccomplished during the operation of the machine. The pinion 94 isintegral with the sleeve 96, the upper end thereof being machined toform a worm wheel I I6 thereon (Figs. 1 and 2) disposed Within thespider 33. A worm H1, cut into a shaft H8, meshes with and rotates theworm wheel H-i. The shaft H8 is enclosed in a cylindrical housing H9formed integral with the spider 33. Apin |2| in the housing, engaged ina groove |22 lin the shaft, retains the shaft against axialdisplacement.

The outer end of the shaft |I8 is coupled, by a shaft |23 (Fig. l) anduniversal joints '|24 and |25, to the spindle |26 of an adjusting knob|21. The spindle |26 is journalled in a boss |28 formed in the flange ofthe frame member I2, and is retained by a star washer |29 secured by anut lfI. A detent |32 having the inner end thereof seated upon the boss|28, and its intermediate portion bent to project through an opening |33in the frame is engaged with the star washer |29. The detent is heldwithin the opening |33 by a compression spring |34 engaged between thehub of the detent'and the knob |21. The periphery of the knob ismachined with a groove therein which is disposed in telescopicengagement Awith a cylindrical portion |36 of the frame. By pressing theknob inward, the star washer |29 may be released from the detent, andthe shaft |23 rotated. The joints |24 and |25 are designed forsufficient telescopic movement to facilitatev such action.

Alternately, by exerting an outward force against the protruding end |31of the detent, the star washer may be released. Such operation may beeffected by any well known form of linkage which if desired may beassociated with a time-controlled actuating mechanism. In this event,the reaction of the work done by the agitator shaft will cause the hub69 to return to the center of the geart, terminating the oscillatingmovement. For this action to take place, the gears H6 and H1 must besodesigned as to be reversible.A l v If desired, the gears H6 and ||1 maybe made irreversible and the detent mechanism be omitted.

Preferably, the ratio of gear 81 to pinion 93 is slightly different fromthe ratio of gear 68 to pinion 56, with the result that the agitatorshaft will creep slightly. The amount of creeping movement may bedetermined by well-known formulas for the action of compound planetarygears, as set out in the above-mentioned copending application.

One or more of sleeves 22 (Fig. 1), opposite the planet gears may beenlarged to balance the weight ofthe planet gears, or two sets of planetgears in opposite sides of the housing may be provided to secure abalanced mechanism.

It will be apparent to those vskilled in the art that for certainapplications where no variation of the amplitude of oscillation isdesired, many of the principles of construction disclosed herein may beemployed by omitting the parts of the device which adjust the amplitude.In such case, the type of coupling shown herein between the planetarygears may be retained, with omission of the pinion II|. With the pinionomitted, a single wide-faced rack on each planetary gear and a singlecoupling pinion, with rollers at the end of the pinion to retain it inengagement with the racks, may be used.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, itis to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to berestrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts andmodications of detail may be resorted to without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for coupling two offset substantially parallel shaftscomprising two disks, each adapted to be connected to a shaft and havinga face perpendicular thereto, the face of each disk being opposed tothat of the other disk, two Iparallel racks on the face of each disk,the racks on each disk being parallel with and opposed to the racks onthe other disk, a shaft perpendicular to the racks, and two pinions faston the shaft, one pinion meshing with each opposed pair of racks.

2. A device for coupling two offset substantially parallel shaftsvcomprising two disks, each adapted to be connected to a shaft andhaving a face `perpendicular thereto, the face of each disk beingopposed to that of the other disk, two parallel racks on the face ofeach disk, the racks on each disk being parallel with and opposed to theracks on the other disk, a shaft perpendicular to the racks, two pinionsfast on the shaft, one pinion meshing with each opposed pair of racks,and a roller rotatable on the shaft engageable with the faces of thedisks.

3. A device for coupling two offset substantially parallel shaftscomprising two disks, each adapted to be connected to a shaft and havinga face perpendicular thereto, the face of each disk being opposed tothat of the other disk, two parallel racks on the face of each disk, theracks on each disk being parallel with'and opposed to the racks on theother disk, a shaft perpendicular to the racks, two pinions fast on theshaft, one pinion meshing with each opposed pair of racks, and tworollers rotatable on the shaft engageable with the faces of the disks,and engageable with the sides of the racks to retain the pinions againstsliding out of mesh with the racks.

4. A coupling member for offset shafts comprising a rst member adaptedto be connected to a rst shaft and defining a plane normal to the axisof said first shaft, a second member mounted upon said first member andconstrained to move along a line in the plane defined by the said firstmember, a third member adapted to be connected to a second shaft anddefining a plane normal to the axis of said second shaft, a fourthmember mounted upon said third member and constrained to move along aline in the plane defined by said third member, means coupling `l saidrlr'st and said fourth members for simultaneous orthogonal motions, andmeans coupling said second and said third members for simultaneoussliding movement.

5. A coupling member for offset shafts comprising a rst member adaptedto be connected to a first shaft and defining a plane normal to the axisof said first shaft, a second member constrained to move along adiameter of said first member, a third member adapted to be connected toa second shaft and defining a plane normal to the axis of said secondshaft, a fourth member constrained to move along a diameter of saidthird member, means coupling the said first member and the said fourthmember for relative movements in quadrature, means coupling the saidsecond and said third members for simultaneous movement, and meansconstraining said rst and fourth members with respect to said second andthird members.

6. A coupling for offset shafts comprising a first portion including arst member adapted to be connected to a first shaft, a first pair ofspaced racks disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis and ilXedrelative to the said first I member, a rst rack mounted for movementalong a line between and in the plane of said first pair of racks, andmeans for controlling the position of said rst rack relative to saidfirst member, a second portion including a second member adapted to beconnected toa second shaft and carrying a second rack on the faceVthereof disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of theshaft, a third member constrained to rotate with said second member butfree to slide with respect theretoin the direction of the said secondrack, a second pair of racks mounted on the front face of said thirdmember in the plane of the said second rack and oppositely disposed withrespect to the said first pair of racks and` means for coupling saidracks comprising a shaft having pinions nxed to the ends of the shaftfor simultaneously engaging the oppositely disposed pairs cf racks and afreely rotating pinion mounted on the shaft for simultaneously engagingther said rst and second racks.

7. A device for coupling two offset shafts comprising parallel disk-likemembers disposed in planes perpendicular to the axes of the shafts,opposing pairs of racks formed on the faces of said members and spacedequi-distant from a diametric line through each of the members, acoupling for said opposing racks comprising pinions in spaced relationalong a shaft, a first rack `constrained along a diametral line of onemember between the pair of racks on that member, means for shifting thesaid first rack with respect to said one member, the said one memberbeing adapted to` be connected to a first shaft, a hub associated withthe remaining member adapted to connect the member to a second shaft, asecond rack mounted on a face of said hub, a groove in the face of theremaining disk member disposed along a diametral line between the pairof racks on the 8 face of that member to receive the said second rack,and a pinion mounted on said coupling shaft for coupling said first andsecond racks.

8.., A device for coupling two offset shafts comprising two membersdisposed in spaced relationship, a rst one of said members being adaptedto be coupled to a rotating shaft, opposing pairs of racks formed on thefaces of said members, pinions interengagingwith and coupling saidopposed racks, a shaft connecting said pinions for concurrent rotation,an opposing pair of racks associated with said members, one of saidracks being adapted `to be shifted relative to the said first member, apinion interengaged with and coupling said last-named opposing pair ofracks and mounted upon said shaft for` free rotation with respectthereto, a hub member associated with a second of said two mem-bers,said hub member .carryingl the second rack of said last-named pair ofracks and being mountedl for sliding engagement; with respect to thesecond of said two mem- 1ners so as to permit sliding motion between thetwo racks of said last-named pair of racks and said hub being adapted tobe coupled to a rotating shaft whereby adjustment of the rackassociatedl with the first of said two members causes an adjustment ofthe eccentricity of rotation of the two shafts to be coupled.

9.,A device for coupling two offset shafts comprising a first hubadapted to be coupled to one of the shafts, said hub having an outerface and a rack projecting from said face, a member having a plate-likebody bearing upon the outer face of said rst hub, an opening in the bodyof said member for receiving the rack, and permitting sliding engagementof the member with the rack, thev rack extending through the member,spaced racks on the outer face of said member, said racks being disposedon either side of said hub member and extending parallel thereto, asecond hub adapted to be coupled to the remaining shaft and havinganonter face spaced from the outer face of said member, two racks formedon the outer face of said second hub and disposed in opposition totheracks onv said firstl hub member, a rack disposed in opposition. to saidnrst hub rack and supported by said second hub for motion with respect.thereto, two pinions engaging the opposed racks on the first hub memberand the second hub member, a shaft connecting said two pinions, and apinion engaging the remaining opposed racks mounted upon said shaft andfree to rotate with respect thereto, whereby adjustment of the rackassociated with the second hub relative to that hub determines therelative rotation of the said two hubs.

JOSEPH D. KREIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,599,397 Jackson Sept. 7, 1926 2,004,572 Furness June 11,1935

